The present invention relates to a calcium assimilation accelerator containing .beta.-glucooligosaccharide as an active ingredient, a calcium-supplementing diet containing it, and a method for accelerating calcium assimilation.
.beta.-Glucooligosaccharide is a compound composed of .beta.-glucoside bonds, and a saccharide obtained by .beta.-1,6 bonding and/or .beta.-1,4 bonding of glucoses. It has been known that since these .beta.-glucbside bonds can not be decomposed by internal enzymes, they can be utilized as a low calorie sugar, and accordingly they can be utilized as additives for various diets or refreshments.
Further, in JP-A-3-262460 filed by the present applicant, it has been found that .beta.-glucooligosaccharide has a growing or proliferation effect on bifidobacteria and lactic-acid bacteria, and an intestinal flora (bacteria flora in intestine) improver comprising .beta.-glucooligosaccharide is disclosed. Furthermore, since .beta.-glucooligosaccharide is rich in moisture retention property, its effects on not only a humectant for foods, but also a crystal inhibitor, a glazing agent, an excipient and the like have been recognized, and it can be utilized for medicines.
On the other hand, as a calcium assimilation accelerator, vitamin D has been well known. Although vitamin D has a calcium assimilation-accelerating effect, vitamin D has a problem that its expression mechanism is influenced by homeostasis by hormones, thereby reducing the effect for assimilating the desired calcium amount.
Further, it has been observed that saccharides such as lactose show a calcium assimilation-accelerating effect. However, galactooligosaccharide and fructooligosaccharide have been reported to have an effect for accelerating the assimilation of minerals ("Japanese Nutrition and Food Society Journal", vol. 44, pp 287-291, 1991) and they have been known as a proliferation promoter of bifidobacteria. Furthermore, JP-A-4-134031 discloses a calcium assimilation accelerator comprising galactooligosaccharide as an active ingredient, JP-A-6-205653 discloses a mineral assimilation accelerator comprising lactulose-oligosaccharide as an active ingredient, JP-A-6-205654 discloses a mineral assimilation accelerator comprising a branched galactooligosaccharide as an active ingredient, and JP-A-5-67 discloses diets containing dietary fibers, calcium and maltitol.
However, there has been a problem that over ingestion of saccharides such as lactose and maltitol bring about symptoms such as diarrhea.